It was one of those moments that only seems to happen in a dream.
With Arnold Palmer standing nearby, Steve Ziegler, the lone Coloradan competing in this week’s Palmer Cup, stepped up to the first tee Thursday afternoon at Cherry Hills Country Club. That’s the same first tee where Arnie became a legend during the 1960 U.S. Open by driving the green on the par-4 en route to a final-round 65 and his only U.S. Open victory.
Palmer, now 79, watched Thursday as Ziegler worked some magic, as if on cue. The Broomfield resident ripped his tee shot onto the first green from 340-plus yards, matching Palmer”˜s 1960 feat.
Ziegler turned to Palmer and said, “Like that?”
Arnie “kind of laughed,” Ziegler said.
“I was extra excited; the adrenaline was pumping,” Ziegler said. “I’ll never forget that moment.”
Ziegler, a sophomore at Stanford, not only drove one par-4 Thursday afternoon, but two. He also knocked it on the 329-yard third hole, two-putting for birdie like he did on No. 1.
After losing in Thursday morning’s Four-ball, Ziegler rallied for a 2 and 1 victory over European Andrea Pavan in Thursday’s Singles matches. But despite Ziegler’s afternoon win, the U.S. trails Europe 7½-4½ at the halfway point of the Palmer Cup matches at Cherry Hills. Europe needs at least 12 points to retain the Palmer Cup, while the U.S. requires at least 12½ to win back the Cup.
Ziegler had a match to remember against Pavan, who last week helped Texas A&M win the NCAA team title. Not only was there the Palmer moment on No. 1 and driving the greens of two par-4s, but Ziegler rallied to win after being 2 down after 12 holes. Ziegler won each of the next four holes and halved No. 17 for the victory.
All told, Ziegler made eight birdies in 17 holes, including on four of his last five. He was 5 under par through 17 holes. This after going shooting a 2-under-par 70 in his morning Four-ball match, when he and American teammate Mike Van Sickle lost to Italians Pavan and Leonardo Motta 2 up.
“I got mad” after missing a short putt on No. 12 to go 2 down to Pavan in the Singles. “So I beared down and the putts finally started falling for me.”
Ziegler, who admitted after his morning match that he was “nervous every single shot,” made birdie putts of 5 feet on 13, 30 feet on 14, and 15 feet on 16 to overtake Pavan, then closed him out with another birdie on 17.
“It feels great,” Ziegler said after the victory. “I wouldn’t have wanted to go through the first day with no wins, especially when I played well all day.”
But Ziegler and his teammates will really have to kick it into high gear in Friday’s final two rounds of matches — alternate shot and singles — to avoid becoming just the second U.S. Palmer Cup team to lose on American soil.
“There certainly is pressure, at least for me,” U.S. coach Matt Thurmond said. “This is America, and we’re supposed to defend our turf. But we like pressure, and we’re supposed to perform well under pressure.”
Three players — all Europeans — won both their matches Thursday to help put the U.S. in a hole: Jorge Campillo, Motta and Henrik Norlander.
“It’s harder to win here in the U.S.,” said Campillo, who’s competing in his third Palmer Cup. “The Americans are playing at home and their families are here. It’s going to be tough, but if we win, we’ll be happy, and it will be that much more special.”
Thurmond noted that the “Europeans couldn’t play much better than they did” Thursday. “We didn’t give them a whole lot.”
But European coach Dean Robertson wants his players to avoid getting too caught up in their first-day lead. With 12 more points up for grabs Friday, the outcome is still far from certain.
“We have to stay focused and not get ahead of ourselves,” said Robertson, a former European Tour player. “It’s not over yet. “¦ But win or lose, we’ll tip our hats and share a Coke or maybe a cold beer (Friday) night.”
Friday’s Foursome matches (alternate shot) will begin at 7:30 a.m., and the Singles will start at 1 p.m. The closing ceremonies are scheduled for approximately 7 p.m. The public is welcome to attend free of charge.
Here are the lineups for Friday’s Foursome matches: 7:30 a.m. — Jorge Campillo-Tim Sluiter (Europe) vs. Bud Cauley-Mike Van Sickle (U.S.); 7:44 a.m. — Stephan Gross-Chris Paisley (Europe) vs. Erik Flores-Steve Ziegler (U.S.); 7:58 a.m. — Leonardo Motta-Andrea Pavan (Europe) vs. Trent Leon-Adam Mitchell (U.S.); 8:12 a.m. — Henrik Norlander-Robin Wingardh (Europe) vs. Morgan Hoffmann-Cameron Tringale (U.S.).
OVERALL SCORE AFTER DAY 1: EUROPE 7½, U.S. 4½
Thursday’s Four-Ball Results
Europe 3, U.S. 1
Jorge Campillo-Tim Sluiter (Europe) def. Bud Cauley-Trent Leon (U.S.) 2 up
Henrik Norlander-Robin Wingardh (Europe) def. Erik Flores-Adam Mitchell (U.S.) 6 and 4
Leonardo Motta-Andrea Pavan (Europe) def. Mike Van Sickle-Steve Ziegler (U.S.) 2 up
Morgan Hoffmann-Cameron Tringale (U.S.) def. Stephan Gross-Chris Paisley (Europe) 2 up
Thursday’s Singles Results
Europe 4½, U.S. 3½
Bud Cauley (U.S.) def. Robin Wingardh (Europe) 4 and 3
Jorge Campillo (Europe) def. Mike Van Sickle (U.S.) 1 up
Tim Sluiter (Europe) halved with Cameron Tringale (U.S.)
Leonardo Motta (Europe) def. Morgan Hoffmann 2 up
Stephan Gross (Europe) def. Erik Flores (U.S.) 3 and 1
Steve Ziegler (U.S.) def. Andrea Pavan (Europe 2 and 1
Adam Mitchell (U.S.) def. Chris Paisley (Europe), 4 and 2
Henrik Norlander (Europe) def. Trent Leon (U.S.) 3 and 2
Friday’s Foursome (alternate shot) Results
Jorge Campillo-Tim Sluiter (Europe) def. Bud Cauley-Mike Van Sickle (U.S.) 5 and 4
Erik Flores-Steve Ziegler (U.S.) def. Stephan Gross-Chris Paisley (Europe) 1 up
Leonardo Motta-Andre Pavan (Europe) def. Trent Leon-Adam Mitchell 3 and 2
Morgan Hoffmann-Cameron Tringale (U.S.) def. Henrik Norlander-Robin Wingardh, 1 up
Note — Europe leads 9½-6½ overall going into Friday’s Singles matches.
Friday’s Singles Pairings
1 p.m. — Jorge Campillo (Europe) vs. Bud Cauley (U.S.)
1:14 p.m. — Stephan Gross (Europe) vs. Steve Ziegler (U.S.)
1:28 p.m. — Tim Sluiter (Europe) vs. Morgan Hoffmann (U.S.)
1:42 p.m. — Chris Paisley (Europe) vs. Cameron Tringale (U.S.)
1:56 p.m. — Leonardo Motta (Europe) vs. Mike Van Sickle (U.S.)
2:10 p.m. — Andrea Pavan (Europe) vs. Erik Flores (U.S.)
2:24 p.m. — Robin Wingardh (Europe) vs. Trent Leon (U.S.)
2:38 p.m. — Henrik Norlander (Europe) vs. Adam Mitchell (U.S.
